President Donald Trump’s special envoys, Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, expressed feelings of betrayal over Israel’s airstrikes targeting senior Hamas leaders in Doha, Qatar, during ongoing negotiations. In an interview with CBS News’ “60 Minutes,” Witkoff revealed that both he and Kushner felt caught off guard by the strikes, which occurred on September 9, 2023. “I think both Jared and I felt a little bit betrayed,” Witkoff stated.
Kushner elaborated, indicating that there was a growing concern about Israeli actions. “I think he felt like the Israelis were getting a little bit out of control in what they were doing,” he said. According to Kushner, this action had significant repercussions on the negotiations with Hamas. He emphasized that the Qataris, alongside the Egyptians and Turks, were crucial to the talks, and the strikes undermined their confidence in the United States’ diplomatic efforts.
The airstrikes, carried out by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and the Israel Security Agency (Shin Bet), targeted high-ranking Hamas officials responsible for orchestrating attacks against Israel, including the brutal massacre on October 7, 2023. The IDF reported that measures were implemented to minimize civilian casualties during the operation, which involved precision munitions. Despite these precautions, it is believed that most Hamas leaders survived the strikes.
Witkoff learned of the airstrikes the following morning, highlighting the abrupt nature of the developments. He noted that the fallout from the incident made it significantly more challenging to engage with Hamas. “We had lost the confidence of the Qataris,” he remarked. This lack of trust led to Hamas retreating underground, complicating further negotiations.
Following the airstrikes, Khalil al-Hayya, one of the Hamas officials who survived, met with Witkoff and Kushner in Egypt to finalize a ceasefire agreement that took effect on October 10, 2023. As part of this deal, all 20 living hostages held in Gaza were returned to Israel, although 18 deceased individuals have yet to be repatriated.
The interview featuring Witkoff and Kushner is slated to be broadcast in full on Sunday, promising to shed further light on the complexities of the U.S. diplomatic approach in the region and the challenges posed by actions taken by Israel during delicate negotiations.
